Algeria end AFCON qualifying campaign unbeaten
The final round of Group E matches in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifiers brought contrasting fortunes as Algeria dismantled Liberia 5-1 to end their campaign unbeaten, while Togo claimed a morale-boosting 3-0 win over Equatorial Guinea in Lomé on Sunday.
Already assured of first place in Group E, Algeria showed no signs of complacency at the Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium.
The Fennecs, unbeaten in their last 19 AFCON qualifiers, extended their streak with a commanding display that further underscored their dominance.
Liberia stunned the home crowd early with a sixth-minute goal from Sampson Dweh, but Algeria responded swiftly.
Aïssa Mandi equalised in the 20th minute before Riyad Mahrez gave the hosts the lead with a deft header in the 29th minute.
The second half belonged entirely to Algeria, as Baghdad Bounedjah, Amine Gouiri, and Mohammed Amoura all found the net to complete the rout.
Gouiri’s goal—a sublime finish to the bottom left corner—stood out as one of the match’s highlights.
Algeria finished the group stage with 16 points, scoring 16 goals and conceding just two.
Their unbeaten run and defensive solidity further cement their status as one of the favorites heading into Morocco 2025.
In Lomé, Togo ended their qualifying campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory over second-placed Equatorial Guinea.
Despite being eliminated from the tournament, the Sparrow Hawks showed resilience, snapping a three-game losing streak in TotalEnergies CAF AFCON qualifiers.
Yaw Annor opened the scoring in the 14th minute, while Kevin Denkey doubled the lead early in the second half with a stunning long-range strike.
Annor capped off a brilliant individual performance with his second goal in the 87th minute.
For Equatorial Guinea, the defeat had no bearing on their qualification for AFCON 2025, as they had already secured their spot.
However, the loss ended their 10-game unbeaten run in qualifiers, exposing vulnerabilities that may require attention ahead of the tournament.
–CAFonline.com
